


My Heart's A Drummer

by reidtheroom



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F, Pezberry, funny girl au, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 09:09:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30137256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reidtheroom/pseuds/reidtheroom
Summary: Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez don't know each other. But they're about to. Funny Girl AU.
Relationships: Rachel Berry/Brody Weston, Rachel Berry/Santana Lopez
Kudos: 7





	My Heart's A Drummer

**Author's Note:**

> hello hi if you've found this work I just want to thank you for giving it a chance! my brain just wrote this idk how so if you like it and want more please let me know by commenting, giving kudos or letting me know via my Instagram @wankyblam !
> 
> this is not edited by anyone by myself so if there are mistakes I apologise. 
> 
> also I know nothing about New York schooling etc so take it all with a grain of salt. Enjoy!

Rachel Berry awoke with a start on a very important day for her. It was the day where she would assist the Funny Girl team at the auditions for her understudy; this was the third most important day in her Funny Girl career. The first, being cast. The second, opening night. The third, deciding on who would replace her if something comes up. 

Rachel doubted heavily that an understudy was even needed. She knew it was protocol, but she was prepared to perform every single show even if it killed her. Funny Girl was her absolute dream, and now that she had it, she was never letting it go.

Rachel had been performing since the moment she learned to walk. She had been a part of every performing arts program since the age of two. She has done dance recitals, singing shows and productions every single year. She grew up with the firm belief that her ambition is what would help her succeed. And that motto had gotten her the lead of Funny Girl, Fanny Brice.

Barbra Streisand, and as a byproduct, Fanny, were Rachel’s biggest inspiration. And her biggest aspiration. Never had she wanted to be anything more. She worked hard at her little high school in Lima, Ohio, to ensure she actually got out of Lima. Rachel wanted nothing more than to move to New York to attend college at NYADA. That was her pathway to being a star.

High school was not fun. Rachel knew she could be overbearing, she just loved performing and she just wanted to be her best. Sometimes people didn't see that. They laughed at her, they called her names, they tossed slushies in her face. The girls would gang up on her and try to humiliate her in front of the entire grade. High school was a very traumatizing experience for Rachel, and she purposely tried to block that part of her life out. She was a nobody there; a loser, but New York was different. New York was where she belonged. 

New York was where she met her best friends; Kurt Hummel, Mercedes Jones and Quinn Fabray. They had all been outcasts at their high schools, which is why they bonded so quickly at NYADA. They had all been in an improvisation elective together on the first day at NYADA. They were the only people in the class who didn’t know anyone else, so they found themselves drawn to each other during the improv exercises. 

By the end of the first class, they had formed a tight knit group. Well, as tight as they could be after knowing each other for one hour. Rachel and Quinn even discovered they lived in the same building, whilst also discovering that Mercedes and Kurt both lived a couple of blocks away. Since that first class, they were all inseparable. 

Rachel also met her boyfriend, Brody Weston, at NYADA. They had also been in a class together, taught by Carmen Tibideaux. Rachel sang New York State Of Mind in front of everybody, and Brody had approached her after the class. They clicked instantly, and became fast friends. Brody was very smooth, and they fell into an easy partnership.

It took Rachel by surprise, being able to make friends so quickly outside of high school. She thought she was this terribly unlikable person, the way people treated her in high school. But the students at NYADA had the same ambition, the same drive as her, and they made her realise that they really were her people. She finally belonged. 

New York had been where her real life started. High school was a blur, and she was glad she couldn't remember the taunts that used to give her nightmares. New York had given her friends who she knew as family, the dream to perform in front of audiences and most importantly, a home. 

…..

The night before the first Funny Girl audition, Rachel didn't know herself. She was usually so confident, but that night she was a bundle of nerves. Quinn and Mercedes were at her place, and they were just trying to have a relaxed night, to calm Rachel down. She kept trying to practice her audition song, but Quinn and Mercedes didn't think it was a good idea.

“Rach, you need to stop practising,” Quinn had said. “You’re going to overdo it. You need to rest your voice.”

Rachel knew Quinn was right. But she couldn't help it. She spent 99% of her life singing, she didn't know what else to do. 

When Rachel woke up the next morning, with Quinn and Cedes squished into the small bed with her, her heart swelled with happiness. 

Her phone buzzed, with a text from Brody. 

Brody: Good luck today Rach! You’re going to do amazing. See you tonight x

Rachel was glowing. Her people were there for her, and it calmed her nerves.

And when she went into the audition, she sang her song perfectly.

…..

When she got a callback to sing another song for a panel of judges, Rachel was thrilled. She invited her friends out for dinner that night to celebrate. She still had more obstacles to overcome, but the first main step was complete. So far she was successful!

It took a few more auditions, a whole lot of stress and anxiety, and then she was officially Fanny Brice. And Rachel had never felt more settled into anything in her whole life. 

…..

A fair bit of time later, it was time to find a Fanny understudy. And Rachel really wasn't looking forward to it. She was there for all of the cast’s auditions, and they had started rehearsals, and promo for the Broadway show.

The understudy dilemma had been bugging Rachel for a while. She knew she had a bit of a jealous streak. She couldn't help it. No matter how confident she was in herself, there was a small part of her that doubted herself, and she didn't want the Funny Girl judges to regret their decisions of casting her. 

Seeing other talented women perform would scare her, but she was also hoping it would inspire her. She knew she was the best. That's why she got the part. 

…..

Sitting at the desk, watching all the auditions, nobody really caught her attention. Days and days of auditions went by, and she felt nothing for any of the women who had already auditioned. On the last day of open call auditions, she went almost the entire time still not seeing anyone amazing.

Until, suddenly, a girl in a green dress walked in and started singing Don't Rain On My Parade. She didn't even introduce herself, just started singing and strutting down towards the stage. It piqued Rachel’s interest, and she sat up with anticipation. 

Rachel watched the entire audition with a million thoughts running through her head. Who was this girl? Why was she singing a Funny Girl song at her audition? Why did she sound good though? Was she better than Rachel? Maybe not, but she was really good, in a different way. This might be it. This may be her understudy. 

At the conclusion of her performance, she spoke. “Hi, my name is Santana Lopez, and I just auditioned for the understudy of Fanny Brice.” 

Everyone stood and clapped, even Rachel. Especially Rachel. Maybe having an understudy wouldn’t be so bad.


End file.
